Viewed in
2010
Formats
DVD
Premise
A documentary about the return of Disney's animation domination during the late 1980's and early 1990's.
Liked
Everything.
Thoughts
As a big fan of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, I found this film to be an interesting look at the executives who made it happen.
Director Don Hahn focused on the three large personae, Roy Disney, Michael Eisner, Jeffery Katzenberg, and glue guy Frank Wells. The story of daring risk-taking and fortuitous artistic decisions was delivered in a well-paced, detailed fashion.
I enjoyed the never-before-scene workplace footage, re-enactments in the form of amusing drawings, and numerous interviews. They painted a good picture of just how fragile/stressful/rewarding those years were for the hundreds of artists and well-meaning, determined, egotistical studio heads trying to rejuvenate and reinvent Walt Disney's animated legacy.
Roy, Eisner, and Katzenberg offered insightful and open commentary about that moment in time, their decisions, and their relationships with the other two. In addition to giving props to the artists, this film highlighted the unsung selfless importance of Wells whom I knew little of until now.
If this were about a sports team, it would have been a look into the front office, not the players. This might sound boring or disappointing for those expecting an exhibition of Jodi Benson singing, Robin Williams going wacky, or animators talking about their craft. But it kept me intrigued the whole time. It showed that during the studio's best animation years, the commitment, fearlessness, personalities, creativity, and teamwork required behind the scenes were never as rosy as the magical fairy tales that they wove.
What I would change
Nothing.
